When Microsoft first showed off its Windows 8 Start screen, I wrote an editorial in which I enthused about the possibilities for this UI, not just on the Windows desktop, but also in other situations and products, including the living room (Xbox 360), phones, and, yes, even the server. Some of you scoffed. But now we can see that this is indeed Microsoft's plan, and the Start Screen is a key component of the admin interfaces in Windows Server "8" as well.

Of course, it's still just a front-end, so Microsoft has also overhauled its central management console, Server Manager, and dramatically so. This screenshot gallery focuses on the key admin interfaces in the Developer Preview of Windows Server "8," shows off the new integrated Active Directory domain controller install and promotion process, and provides a peek at a coming Windows Server (and Windows client?) feature: Windows Server Online Backup.